King's official duties continue as he attends AI summit amid war of words with Earl Spencer over his Diana book

The King appeared in public today amid a war of words with Princess Diana's brother Earl Spencer over his bombshell claim that Charles declared: 'Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough.'The monarch hosted an artificial intelligence summit at Dumfries House, at which he aimed to seek reassurance amid concerns about the future of AI and addressed bosses from leading AI developers including Nvidia, Anthropic and OpenAI.His appearance came hours after Buckingham Palace issued an extraordinary statement in response to the explosive new book by the earl, the first extract of which will be published at 5pm today on the Daily Mail website and apps.The book describes a devastating row he had with then-Prince Charles in the days after Diana died.In a riposte that sent shockwaves through royal circles today, Charles's aides acidly suggested that grief can 'cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory'.This was seen as a barbed echo of the late Queen Elizabeth II's famous 'recollections may vary' retort to Harry and Meghan after their Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021.The palace statement said: 'While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.'Despite the war of words, senior royals will continue carrying out engagements today – with Prince William and Kate on an official visit to the Isle of Bute in Scotland.The Prince and Princess of Wales, who also hold the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, will also visit their namesake town of Rothesay today.Charles and Diana's other son Harry will also be out this evening, making his first public appearance since returning to the UK at the Invictus Spirit Awards in London.Elsewhere Princess Anne will open a history centre at the German Military Cemetery in Staffordshire and the Duchess of Edinburgh will continue a visit to Zambia. The King shakes hands with Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo at Dumfries House today King Charles III walks with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang at Dumfries House today Charles gives a speech during a meeting at Dumfries House for AI leaders this afternoonThe AI event comes as doomsday warnings were levelled at the technology, seen by some as a threat to the existence of humanity. This has sparked a debate among industry leaders over how best to rein in AI before it could escape human control.Talks will be held on whether principles can be developed to guide future applications of AI, as both a tool and an aid to benefit people and the world.Before then, the King delivered opening remarks to the delegates. He said: 'The development of AI – its substance and its pace – are both intriguing and deeply concerning in equal measure.'Charles added: 'Those in our world who value our humanity and its vital moral component are anxiously seeking your reassurance that we will not lose control of our destiny.'He also told delegates: 'The decisions taken at this formative time will shape the world inherited by future generations.'And so, the task before you is not merely to advance technology, but to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity, community and the natural world.'The King went on to say that 'humanity must remain sacred' as artificial intelligence technologies continue to develop.He said: 'So, today, I want to ask two simple questions, building on the message I sent to the United Kingdom AI Safety Summit in Bletchley in 2023:'First, how can we harness the benefits of AI, with safety at its heart?'And, second how can we build international co-operation and consensus to achieve this, so no nation is left behind – but the human race is left in place? Charles greets Paolo Benanti, an adviser to the Pope on issues of AI and technology ethics King Charles III walks with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang at Dumfries House today Charles gives a speech during a meeting at Dumfries House for AI leaders this afternoon'This may sound hyperbolic. I have long thought it is just enlightened realism…'While these are simple questions, I fully realise that the answers will require all the intellectual excellence – and, crucially, the emotional excellence which separates man from machine – which is represented in this room.'In other words, as I have said, our humanity must remain sacred.'The decisions taken at this formative time will shape the world inherited by future generations. And so, the task before you is not merely to advance technology, but to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity, community and the natural world. As we embrace what is new, we must not lose what is timeless.'I can only applaud those of you who are so deeply committed to harnessing artificial intelligence for good, so that we might see a future where human potential remains boundless, whilst technological development is carefully curated to enhance our success.'I really am enormously grateful for the presence in this room of many of our greatest technological minds, and indeed, for the thoughtful stewardship demonstrated by those gathered here today as you consider the fundamental principles that should – and must – guide the development of artificial intelligence in the years ahead.'I very much look forward to returning to hear the conclusions of your productive – and I hope harmonious! – discussions later on today.'Charles asked guests to consider how to harness the benefits of AI with safety at its heart and how they could build international co-operation and consensus to achieve this, so no nation is left behind and the future of mankind is protected.Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, Google DeepMind founder Sir Demis Hassabis and IonQ chairman and chief executive Niccolo de Masi were among those attending. Earl Spencer speaks with Prince Charles after a banquet in Cape Town on November 4, 1997 Prince Philip, Prince William, Earl Spencer, Prince Harry and Prince Charles walk outside Westminster Abbey during the funeral procession for Princess Diana on September 6, 1997 Charles and Diana on their last official trip together to South Korea in November 1992Paolo Benanti, who is an adviser to the Pope on issues of AI and technology ethics, was also there.The event was overseen by the Ditchley Foundation, an organisation that brings leaders with diverse views together to address complex challenges, which has drawn up a draft charter for AI leaders.But the King's appearance comes amid the ongoing row over the earl's book – Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – which is being serialised in the Daily Mail.In the book, the earl claims that Charles, then the Prince of Wales, subjected him to a 'stream of anger' after he insisted Diana would not have wanted Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, to walk in her funeral procession.According to a book excerpt, one of Queen Elizabeth II's senior aides told him that William and Harry were to walk in the procession, prompting the earl to state 'that's not going to happen'.Charles called minutes later and told him that 18 years earlier he had walked in the funeral procession of his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, it is claimed.In the book, the earl claims: 'Prince Charles continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped.'I assumed the pause signalled an effort to bring himself under control, but then he unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death. 'Rest assured', he hissed, 'we'll forget her soon enough!'.'Extracted from Swan Song: Diana, My Sister by Charles Spencer, to be published by Michael Joseph on September 22, £28. © Charles Spencer 2026. To order a copy for £23.80 (offer valid to 10/10/26; UK P&P free on orders over £25) go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.